Discardable or reusable plastic package



July 17, 1962 E. s. TUPPER DISCARDABLE OR REUSABLE PLASTIC PACKAGE 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 10, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

July 17, 1962 E. s. -TUPPER 3,044,610

DISCARDABLE OR REUSABLE PLASTIC PACKAGE Original Filed Nov. 10, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 2 RL 5. TUPPER INVENTOR.

July 17, 1962 E. s. TUPPER 3,044,610

DISCARDABLE OR REUSABLE PLASTIC PACKAGE Original Filed Nov. 10, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

Sttes Original application Nov. 10, 1954, Ser. No. 467,992. Di-

vided and this application June 23, 1959, Ser. No.

This invention relates generally to a plastic container for packagingvarieties of merchandise and of the type adapted to be prefilled andsealed, air-tight and in tamperproof manner at the filling plant, butmore specifically to a package of a gauge sufiicient to be selfshape-retaining and yet subject to local deformation at areas of slightpressure and further being capable of being either reused as a containerand cover after seal severance or discarded as the ordinary cardboard,glass or metallic package.

The invention is a continuation-in-part and an improvement over theinvention set forth in applicants application for patent filed November27, 1953 under Serial Number 394,604, now Patent No. 2,941,660, and isa; division of pending Parent case Ser. No. 467,992 filed November 10,1954, now Patent No. 2,901,098.

Theprimary object of the invention herein resides in the provision of asubstitute type of merchandise package relative to metallic, glass,cardboard and composition types now on the market and being onapproximately the same price levels of cost of manufacture and whereinsaid package may serve as a durable package for the vessel contents forstorage and transportation by carriers, and wherein the package iscapable of being partially or fully severed at the normally permanentseal by the consumer, the package parts after severance being eitherdiscardable as in the case of conventional packages after contentremoval or reusable as a container and frictionally engageable cover forstorage and dispensing purposes.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a plasticpackage of the above characteristics having both content protectinglight properties and at the same time being sight penetrable by virtueof the gauge and material from which the package is formed. Saidmaterial is preferably polyethylene or other sub stance having similarphysical characteristics including the vinyls and derivatives, all beinglocally disto t-table and capable of withstanding and yielding to shockswith, out breakage or fracture and further being flexible,sufi'rciently'soft for cutting, tearing or severance for opening thepackage; In addition, the material used is nonabsorbtive to and notreadily wetted by water, odorless, resistant to acids, alkalis, solventsand other chemicals at ordinary temperatures. Moreover, the materialdoes not soften far below the boiling point of water, is resistant tomildews, micro-organisms, and insects and absorbs blows and shocks byready yieldability. Furthermore, the package is capable of a degree ofdistortion while under permanent. seal to enable easy storage either fortransportation or refrigeration when quarters are cramped and is capableof easy expansion and contraction in capacity for variations intemperature and pressure.

Although polyethylene has been found to be a most suitable plasticpolymer which has all the above characteristics, it is understood thatother plastic materials reduced to similar physical properties areapplicable.

The packaging herein described may be used in various capacities forpackaging (under vacuum if desired) alcoa holic liquids, foods,carbonated beverages, milk and derivative products, cheese, candies,drugs, industrial, commercial and other products such as metals,chemicals, poisonous materials, and other not too heavy merchandise.

A further feature of the invention resides in the pro- Unie 4 Claims.

atent vision of a package wherein the normally permanent cona nection ofthe members made at the filling plant; andineluding heat-sealing isdisposed on cooperating; structure between the container and covermembers, such structure 5 being ofsufiicient dimensions as to retaintheir respective sealing and gripping functions but only friction-wiseafter partial or full severance at the connectingareas.

Another; object of the invention resides in the provisiqn of a form ofpackaging for commercial, industrial and consumer products which isstrong, durable, resistant to wear, tear, shocks of handling storage andimpact, is electrically non-conductive and is capable of reusability andeconomically may.well be discarded after the heatsealing ornon-frictionally joined areas have been sepa rated by a simple knifeblade or point cutting, by pulling along a scored area, or by pulling atear string.

A further object of the invention resides in the utilizaa tion of easilyyieldable thin-walled material in the formation of a package prefilledand sealed at a filling plant and which is suitable for storage,refrigeration and transportation and which is strengthened despite thethin guage by virtue of complete permanent closure and struc-.

ture at the sealing edges.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages.

of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress a of thedisclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification are drawings showing preferred forms ofthe invention and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a View in perspective partially in section showing a packagepartly in section and after severance of the permanent seal.

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective of the package shown in FIGURE 1 andshowing the cover member in separated condition.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the package across the plane 3-93 ofFIGURE 1 showing one manner of sep-. aration of the cover from thecontainer member.

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of the package of FIGURE 1 showingfinger depression between the top rim and the wall member to facilitatecover removal.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view across the plane 5-5 of FIGURE4.

- FIGURE 6 shows the package permanently sealed between the cover andcontainer members at spaced areas and wherein thegsealing point-s arespaced and disposed along specified areas of said members for aneasy'pulltype of severance and separation.

FIGURE 6a is an enlarged and fragmentary sectional view of FIGURE 6acrossthe plane 641-641, 7

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a package showingcooperating scorelines and sealing areas between the cover and containermembers for severance of the permanent sealing means and resulting instructure shown in FIGURES 1-5.

FIGURE 8 is anenlarged and fragmentary sectional view of FIGURE 7 acrossthe plane 8. 8 thereof.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the manner ofremoval of the sealing areasof the package parts in the structure shownin FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing a modified meansover the means of FIGURE 7. of scoring and sealing areas of the packagefor severance.

FIGURE 11 is a. fragm n ry and explode View P y in section showing thestructure of FIGURE 10 after severance and in condition for reusabilityor discardability. FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary and enlarged sectionalview of FIGURE 10 across the plane 12-12 thereof. 70 FIGURE 13 is afragmentary view in perspective par-tly in section showing a modifiedmeans of sealing the package and a means of severing same with a knifepoint.

'In' accordance with the invention and the forms shown, FIGURES l-S showa type of storage container and cover suitable for reusability after apermanent seal impressed at a filling plant has been severed. This typeof container or canister has a friction-engaging type of cover and mayalso be discarded as any other merchandise container since littlematerial is required for molding and forming the same as a result of thethin gauge of the walls. Thus letter A represents the container memberand letter B the cover therefor. Container A has a side wall providedwith a top having a horizontal type of peripheral flange 11 with adownwardly extending skirt 12. The container has a bottom wall 13. Asshown, side wall 10 is round ed and slightly outwardly tapered frombottom wall 13, but it is understood that the necessity of the taper,and the size and perimetric shape are selective only. Furthermore,flange and skirt 11-12 are of any predetermined sizes for purposeshereinafter described.

Container A, is of any required capacity and together with cover B isfurnished by the package manufacturer to the filling plant or fillingoperator and the latter determines requirements as to size, capacity andshape. The filling operator at the filling plant first employs the usualfacilities for filling vessel A with contents such as food, chemicals,industrial, pharmaceutical, commercial and other types of productscapable of being packaged for consumption or distribution by othermanufacturers,

dealers, distributors, consumers and the like. Thereafter, the parts arepermanently sealed by conventional means as will appear hereinafter.

Container A is made to be easily and locally deformable to slightpressure and at the same time is sufficiently rigid to be selfshaped-retaining; This is accomplished by em- 7 ploying polyethylene orother substance having similar physical characteristics in thin gaugeand by reason of the cooperating closure structure as will appear.

Cover member B made of the same material and of comparable gauge ascontainer A cooperates with the flange and skirt =1112 of the containerto add in the shape-retaining characteristic thereof. Thus flange andskirt 11-42 by virtue of its structure serves as a reinforc ing rim forcontainer A'arresting the tendency for easy collapsing and deformabilityof the container member thereat. Moreover, flange 1112 serves as ahandle element when container A is used'by itself as a canister, storagecontainer and the like as best shown in FIGURES 1-4.

Container flange and skirt 11-12 is further utilized for cooperationwith a similar type of engaging flange on cover B.

Cover member B is provided with a central wall 14 and terminatesedgewise in an inverted, raised and peripheral groove generallyindicated by numeral 15 and having an inner wall 16, an outer Wall 17and a top connecting wall 18. Cover member B being made as stated of thesame material and with comparable gauge as container A is likewisecapable of easy deformability, the distortion also being controlled andarrested by the reinforcing effect of the groove rim structure asdescribed.

The flange members 11 and'lZ of container A and groove walls 16-18 ofcover B are suitably dimensioned for sealing at the filling plant sothat following'removal in the methods hereafter described of thepermanent sealing p'ortions, sufficient flange and skirt areas willremain for proper functioning of the packages as containers andfrictionally removable and frictionally scalable covers therefor asshown in FIGURES 1-5. Thus, in said FIG- URES l-S cover B has at leastgroove walls 18 and 17 engageable with container A at the flange andskirt portions 11 and 12 respectively for removable and sealablepurposes after thepermanent sealing as shown in FIGURES 7-10, 12 and 13has been severed.

Because the gauge of the material forming container V seal-tightengagement takes place.

A and cover B is thin, it issimple after permanent seal severance, toremove the cover from the container for storage and other usefulpurposes. Thus, as shown n i FIGURE 3, the removal of the cover from thecontainer is effectuated by pressing the top wall 14 of the cover memberwith one finger and simultaneously lifting by means of the thumb thelower edge of the groove outer Wall 17 of the cover member. Thedepression of top wall 14 of cover B by one of the fingers causes adisplacing action between the cover groove edge 17 and the containerskirt 12 whereupon the cover may be removed in a peel-ing-oif type ofoperation. ,Another method of removing the cover B from container A isto indent container side wall 10 m'th one finger such as the thumb andsimultaneously grasp the cover rim at a diametrically opposite area. Thethinness of gauge of the package material causes a distinct deformationof the container portion at the thumb-press area causing a disengagementand lowering of the container flange 11 and skirt 12 from the groove ofthe cover as shown in FIGURE 5 to initiate a peeling-01f type of removalof the cover.

In applying cover B on container A, it is merely necessary to align thecover groove with the flange and skirt 1112 of the container and then bya progressive sliding movement around groove top wall 18 of the finger,

By reason of the economy in the gauge of material and modern moldingmethods the container and cover may be made at costs comparable withconventional glass, paper and'composition containers and covers andhence may be discardable with the same amount of freedom by theconsumer. However, it should be borne in mind that a container and coverof the type described is far more suitable than the cardboard, glass, orother type of package including the metal type for the reason that thematerial packaged at the filling plant is capable of not only beingviewable from the outside, but is also locally deformable,non-fracturable when exposed to shocks, transportation and impact.Furthermore, the material is insulating to the penetrating rays of lightwhere found to be'injurious and has such advantageous physicalcharacteristics as being tasteless, odorless, and chemically inert sothat putrefaction is inhibited and the taste of metal, composition ,orcardboard is not imparted to the container contents. Moreover, thecontents after seal severance may remain in the'container without dangerof interaction with the container material.

Several means of permanent sealing of cover B to container A arepossible, one of which is shown in FIGURES 6 and 6a. Permanent andspaced heat-sealing or other type of permanent adhesion or fusion iseffected between container rim wall 11 and the underside of cover groovetop wall 18 at spaced areas 19. For seal severance, the cover A islifted by hearing pressure on cover wall 14 (FIGURE 6) and raising thecover at a non-sealed area from the lower edge of cover wall 17. By apeeling-oif and exfoliating type of operation, the parts are separated.

FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 show another means of affixation between container Aand B wherein the cover and container members are modified in that thecover groove outer wall 17a and the container skirt portion 12a areelongated so that upon removal of the lower portions of Walls 17a and12a, said Walls are reduced to the sizes of walls 17 and 12 as shown inFIGURES 1-5. Sealing 20 between walls 12a and 17a is in the form of aperipheral and narrow ring area of fusion accomplished by eitherheat-sealing, adhesive, solvent or other known means, the said sealingbeing fluid proof. The sealing 20 above the lower edges of Walls 12a and17a is disposed below a peripheral scoring line 21 penetrating covergroove wall 17a, the said scor-ing'line being broken at a small area 22(FIGURE 7) below which a notch 23 running from the lower edges of walls12a and 17a and disposed below area 22 is formed, said notch 23terminating below fusion ring 20. One edge of notch 23 is extended byascoring line 24 on outer wall 17a whereby removal of overlappingportions of 12a and 17a below scoring ring 21 at notch 24- may beinitiated bya pulling operation as shown in FIGURE 9 for removing thelower portions of walls 12a and 17a below scoring ring 21.

Another means of fusion and severance of container and cover parts isshown in FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 wherein walls 17b or cover D and 12b ofthe container C are of the conventional size as shown in FIGURES 1-5 andwherein a peripheral scoring ring 215: on outer wall 17b adjacent theedge of groove top wall 18 is provided and wherein a scoring mark 24 onwall 17b and a similar notch 23 is formed at the adjacent lower edges ofwalls 12b and 17b for use as a starting point to effect the start ofremoval of the complete walls 12b and 17b by a pulling operation (FIGUREUpon removal, container and cover members are formed wherein container Cresults in having a horizontally disposed edge flange 25 and whereincover D is left without a groove outer wall, the engagement between thecover D and container C being frictional and telescopic.

In FIGURE 13, another means of sealing and severance is shown whereinthe sealing area is indicated by a peripheral ring 27 between the covergroove outer wall 17d and the container skirt 12d. Ring 27 is disposedabove the lower edges of walls 12d and 17:1 to enable a knife point 28to be inserted for cutting seal 27 by peripheral movement until completeseverance takes place. The resultant container and seal of theembodiment shown in FIGURE 13 resembles the container and seal shown inFIGURES l-S.

Of course, any type of cover and container member are feasible topractice the invention herein so long as there remains frictionalengagement between the cover and container members after severance forpurposes of sealability in the event the package is to be reused insteadof being discarded. The invention herein further should not be construedas being limited to specific engaging structure. A tear string may bewelded or fused between the cover and container members at the engagingportions for severance of the connected members if desired, althoughthis type of severance is not shown.

Permanent sealing areas as mentioned may be continuous or spotted, butit is to be remembered that where sealing is not continuous, fullhermetical sealing protection of the contents is furnished to the extentafforded by the frictional and live engagement between the cover and thevessel.

Although it is preferable to utilize the same material as well as gaugein the formation of both cover and container, it is understood thatslight variations to suit requirements and economies may also be used.Both the container and cover may be formed by any of theknown methods inuse and the manner of production thereof in no way affects the inventionherein. Included in such methods are injection, compression, blowmolding and vacuum forming.

The rigidity afforded by the container and cover rim elements whenconnected or in separated condition causes a self shaped-retainingstructure even though the portions. beyond said rim elements are veryeasily deformable.

It is understood that the above forms of the invention apply todifferently shaped containers and covers including household items suchas plates, cereal dishes, creamers, sugar bowls, tumblers etc.

It is distinctly understood that minor changes and variations in thematerial, integration, location and arrangement, size and connection andseparation of parts may all be resorted to for practicing the inventionwithout departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A self shape-retaining and pressure-sensitive hermetically sealed anddeformable container with contents sealed therein and adapted forselective discarding or re-' and skirt portions, the side wall portionof the container adjacent the flange thereof being operative forfrictional, telescopic and hermetical engagement with the cover sidewall, the cover flange and the container flange being in abuttingengagement, fusion means between the opposing faces of opposite portionsof said flange skirt portions and tearing means disposed above saidfusion means and at the top of said flange skirt portions for severabledisconnection of the full flange skirt portions whereby the package mayalso serve selectively as a container and separate frictionallyengageable cover therefor for reuse or as a separated package to bediscarded.

2. A self shape-retaining and pressure-sensitive, hermetically sealedand deformable container with contents as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe container, cover and flange members are formed of a substance havingsimilar physical properties of polyethylene. Y

3.'In packaging, .a self shape-retaining and pressuresensitive,hermetically sealed and deformable container with contents sealedtherein and adapted for selective discarding or reusability as africtionally scalable conta-iner and cover after severance for removalof enclosed contents, the combination comprising a container and coverboth being of thin gauge, pressure-sensitive and deformable plasticmaterial, the container having a bottom and side wall terminating in arigidifying outwardly disposed rim flange having horizontal and skirtportions, a cover having a central wall, an upwardly extending side walland a rigidifying outwardly disposed peripheral side wall rim flangehaving horizontal and skirt portions, the side wall portion of 'thecontainer adjacent the flange thereof being operative for frictional,telescopic. and hermetical engagement with the cover side wall, thecover flange and the container flange being in abutting engagement,fusion means between the opposing faces of the abutting flange skirtportions, and means disposed beyond the flange skirt portionsto cut anddiscard said flange skirt portions of the cover and container flangeswhereby the package may also serve selectively as a container andseparate 'frictionally engageable cover'therefor for reuse or as aseparated package to be discarded.

4. In packaging, the combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein saidfusion means are selectable from a heat weld, a solvent weld and anadhesive.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,180,541 Roden Apr. 25, 1916 1,946,569 Clark Feb. 13, 1934 2,837,236Betner June 3, 1958

